Crime researcher Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane dies in road accident
Irish-Qhobosheane had worked on policing and crime matters within the government and civil society for three decades
14 April 2025 - 10:29
byTimesLIVE
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Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane. Picture: GLOBAL INITIATIVE AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME/SUPPIED.
Leading policing and conflict specialist Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane died in a car accident in Johannesburg on Saturday morning.
This was confirmed by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), where she was a senior researcher on issues spanning assassinations, extortion, illegal firearms, gang violence and mafia-style criminal networks.
She had worked on policing and crime matters within the government and civil society for three decades.
Mark Shaw, director of the GI-TOC, said: “Jenni was a woman of courage, principle and humour who has made a massive contribution to GI-TOC and criminal justice in SA.”
“Jenni’s sudden death is hard to comprehend,’ said Julian Rademeyer, director of the GI-TOC’s East and Southern Africa Observatory.
“She was such a vital, spirited and extraordinary part of our team. Jenni’s work was underpinned by a deep sense of compassion. She loved her country and its people in the purest way.”
“Jenni was intensely committed,” said Peter Gastrow, chair of the GI-TOC’s Africa Board.
“She pursued her work into organised crime with vigour and integrity. Years ago, she played a significant role in the struggle for the liberation of all South Africans and committed her life to make democracy work, particularly in the fields of security and policing.”
Among her previous roles, Irish-Qhobosheane was involved during the 1980s in running the Network of Independent Monitors in violence-afflicted KwaZulu-Natal. After the transition to democracy, she led the Civilian Secretariat for Police from 2009 to 2014.
At the time of her death, she was advising the government on developing a national strategy against organised crime.
The organisation said her knowledge, insights, depth of experience and generosity to colleagues and friends would be missed enormously.
“Her compassion, and her work championing the most vulnerable in SA society, extended to animals, too, as evident in her love for her three rescue dogs and three rescue horses, many of them survivors of abuse.”
Irish-Qhobosheane is survived by her sister, Sue Clarke, and brother, Tony Irish.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Crime researcher Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane dies in road accident
Irish-Qhobosheane had worked on policing and crime matters within the government and civil society for three decades
Leading policing and conflict specialist Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane died in a car accident in Johannesburg on Saturday morning.
This was confirmed by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), where she was a senior researcher on issues spanning assassinations, extortion, illegal firearms, gang violence and mafia-style criminal networks.
She had worked on policing and crime matters within the government and civil society for three decades.
Mark Shaw, director of the GI-TOC, said: “Jenni was a woman of courage, principle and humour who has made a massive contribution to GI-TOC and criminal justice in SA.”
“Jenni’s sudden death is hard to comprehend,’ said Julian Rademeyer, director of the GI-TOC’s East and Southern Africa Observatory.
“She was such a vital, spirited and extraordinary part of our team. Jenni’s work was underpinned by a deep sense of compassion. She loved her country and its people in the purest way.”
“Jenni was intensely committed,” said Peter Gastrow, chair of the GI-TOC’s Africa Board.
“She pursued her work into organised crime with vigour and integrity. Years ago, she played a significant role in the struggle for the liberation of all South Africans and committed her life to make democracy work, particularly in the fields of security and policing.”
Among her previous roles, Irish-Qhobosheane was involved during the 1980s in running the Network of Independent Monitors in violence-afflicted KwaZulu-Natal. After the transition to democracy, she led the Civilian Secretariat for Police from 2009 to 2014.
At the time of her death, she was advising the government on developing a national strategy against organised crime.
The organisation said her knowledge, insights, depth of experience and generosity to colleagues and friends would be missed enormously.
“Her compassion, and her work championing the most vulnerable in SA society, extended to animals, too, as evident in her love for her three rescue dogs and three rescue horses, many of them survivors of abuse.”
Irish-Qhobosheane is survived by her sister, Sue Clarke, and brother, Tony Irish.
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